Nnaji extends NFAâ€™s problems

By Fidelis Ebu
Former Enugu State Sports Commissioner, Barrister Ray Nnaji has constitutionally unearthed some of the ills he believes have been plaguing football development being orchestrated by the leadership of the Nigeria Football Association.

Barrister Nnaji during the week served both the Minister and Chairman National Sports Commission, Ibrahim Isa Bio and Sani Lulu Abdullahi, President of the Nigeria Football Association pre-action notice to go to court over the tenure of all the 36 States Football Associations which he claimed had long elapsed but which the football federation â€˜illegallyâ€™ extended last December.

In the notice dated April 8, 2010 and entitled â€œIllegal Extension of tenure of State FAs by the Leadership of NFAâ€, Nnaji alleged that the action by the Sani Lulu-led board sometime last year was to ensure the re-election of the board in the forthcoming elections in August and the exclusion of other football stakeholders.

Nnaji in the notice also drew the attention of the minister to the fact that it was the state FAs which had long served their term that met and â€œillegally set upâ€ the NFA electoral committee headed by A.U Mustapha.

Explaining why he is joining the NSC boss in the suit, Nnaji said, â€œBy the provision of Section 2 of Nigeria Football Association Act Cap N110 of 2004 of the laws of the federation, which is the only law governing football in the country, Bio as the minister and Chairman National Sports Commission is duty bound to give directive in the overall interest and development of football and other sports under his jurisdictionâ€.

Remarkably, Nnaji had last week alerted the new minister of the illegal extension of the tenure of the state FA chairmen, an action he said.